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Teen Books

Malou has just turned sixteen—hardly old enough to be out in the world on her own—and all she knows for sure is that she’s of mixed race and that she was left at an orphanage as a newborn. When the orphanage burns to the ground, she finds out that she may have been born in a small town in Ontario’s cottage country. Much to her surprise, Parry Sound turns out to have quite a few young brown faces, but Malou can’t believe they might be related to her. After she finds work as a cleaner in the local hospital, an Aboriginal boy named Jimmy helps her find answers to her questions about her parents. The answers are as stunning—and life-changing—as anything Malou could have imagined back at the orphanage. Part of the SECRETS—a series of seven linked novels that can be read in any order.

A trickster named Coyote rules her world, until a funny-looking stranger named Columbus changes her plans. Unimpressed by the wealth of moose, turtles, and beavers in Coyote' s land, he' d rather figure out how to hunt human beings to sell back in Spain. Thomas King uses a bag of literary tricks to shatter the stereotypes surrounding Columbus' s voyages. In doing so, he invites children to laugh with him at the crazy antics of Coyote, who unwittingly allows Columbus to engineer the downfall of his human friends. William Kent Monkman's vibrant illustrations perfectly complement this amusing story with a message.

In this sequel to Murphy and Mousetrap, Murphy and his three friends, Danny, Jeff and Albert, are making the transition from the tribal elementary school to the community middle school. They are all trying out for the middle school's soccer team, and they're pretty confident that The Formidable Four will all make the team. But once the tryouts begin, Albert, the tribal-school superstar, plays like a second stringer. Murphy's new friend, Molly, is determined to help the boys find out what's wrong with Albert, but when they discover the truth, they realize that Albert is playing a whole different game.

Reviews"A novel of courage and achievement told from the point of view of four native youths who must learn to cope with life off the reserve and their friend's illness…Many life lessons are taught with meaningful thematic messages, values and spirit…Highly recommended for primary/junior male readers both for recreational reading and for literature circles or discussion groups."— Resource Links, October 2010

Series InformationThis book is part of the Orca Young Readers series, which are award-winning, bestselling chapter books for ages 8–11. Titles in this series include historical and contemporary stories with age-appropriate plots.

David Groulx’s latest collection offers his readers a handful of poems as cutting and brilliant as glass shards, offering glimpses of the anger, pain and lost beauties of his ancestors. These poems cut deep with their clear-eyed honesty, their stripped away pain and suffering. A subtle weaving of black humour and fleeting touches of beauty, as well at the careful craftsmanship of the writing make these poems iconic. This is a collection that should not be missed.

Reviews"This collection of poetry is a passionate snapshot of poignant aspects of life on the rez depicted in simple scenes that are propelled forward with a sparse economy of language. It is little wonder that Groulx has won awards for his poetry and it has appeared globally in over one hundred periodicals." - Canadian Literature

Traditional North American Native peoples' cuisine has existed for centuries, but its central tenet of respecting nature and its bounty have never been as timely as they are now. Andrew George, of the Wet'suwet'en Nation in Canada, is a well-respected aboriginal chef and instructor who has spent the last twenty-five years promoting the traditions of First Nations food. In A Feast for All Seasons, written with Robert Gairns, he has compiled aboriginal recipes that feature ingredients from the land, sea, and sky, elements of an enduring cuisine that illustrate respect for the environment and its creatures, and acknowledgment of the spiritual power that food can have in our lives. The 120 recipes include delectable, make-at home dishes such as Salmon and Fiddlehead Stirfry, Stuffed Wild Duck, Barbecued Oysters, Pan-fried Rabbit with Wild Cranberry Glaze, Clam Fritters, and Wild Blueberry Cookies. The book also features recipes with exotic ingredients that provide a fascinating glimpse into the history of Native cuisine: Moose Chili, Boiled Porcupine, Smoked Beaver Meat, and Braised Bear. This unique cookbook pays homage to an enduring food culture?grounded in tradition and the power of nature?that transcends the test of time.

With gorgeous full-colour photos arranged in an easy-to-use colour coded chart for quick identification, the pocket-sized format is perfect for taking along on walks and hikes through both the Pacific Northwest countryside as well as the urban wilds of West Coast cities. Supplying English and Latin names, the distribution range of each species and average plant height and flower size, Phillipa Hudson shares her knowledge of coast flora gained through over 30 years as an active amateur botanist.

The waters of the Pacific Northwest are home to some of the most unique and diverse marine creatures in the world, including rockfishes, greenlings and, of course, salmon. This full-colour brochure is packed with information on seventy-eight "must-have" common fishes of the Pacific Northwest. A Field Guide to Common Fish of the Pacific Northwest provides a succinct rundown on a huge variety of our fishy neighbours, and is an ideal guide for fishermen, divers and anyone interested in the marine life that fills our surrounding waters.

A Field Guide to Foraging for Wild Greens and Flowers pinpoints easy-to-find greens and flowers that many don't realize are edible--such as dandelion, clover, chicory, sheep's sorrel and lamb's quarters--and also introduces readers to the delicious leaves of such native plants as goldenrod and fireweed. And readers can also eat their way to conservation by enjoying edible invasive plants in salads, like garlic mustard and fennel. A lightweight pamphlet that will easily fit into a purse or back pocket, this laminated guide will turn every walk from the bus stop, backyard ramble or stroll around the neighbourhood into a fun foraging expedition.

Rich in nutrients, used in products from cosmetics to explosives to fertilizers, and vital to our coastal marine ecosystems, seaweeds can be found on any rocky shore or beach in the Pacific Northwest. The pocket-sized Field Guide to Seaweeds of the Pacifc Northwest is packed with full-colour photos and information on a select variety of the most important and interesting seaweeds commonly encountered on the West Coast. Whether you want to identify seaweeds, better understand their role in the ocean, forage for food, collect for art or you're just plain curious as you poke around the seashore, this educational guide is your ultimate source for casual phycological fun.

Have you ever been walking at the beach and wondered what that pebble or rock is, or do you ever wonder what stories rocks tell? If so, then this is the guide for you.
The Field Guide to the Identification of Pebbles , a full colour, laminated, accordion folded, easy to use guide with over 80 beautiful photographs of pebbles from beaches and rivers. Use the photos to identify over 28 different types of rocks and minerals. A great resource for Earth Science curriculum units in schools, the short text deals with how rocks form and how to tell if a rock is igneous, sedimentary or metamorphic. It also provides some fun facts about minerals in our daily lives.

The inspiration for the collection comes from American Poet Charles Bukowski who wrote "In between the punctuating agonies, life is such a gentle habit." Following this theme of extraordinary ordinariness, A Gentle Habit is a collection of six new short stories focusing on the addictions of a diverse group of characters attempting normalcy in an unnatural world.

Reviews"Cherie Dimaline is a fantastic writer, her prose a gorgeous tightrope walk between the traditional and contemporary. One of our most fresh and exciting voices." - Joseph Boyden, author of award-winning novel The Orenda.

“Cherie Dimaline has strongly established herself as a gifted, essential voice in the vibrant realm of global Indigenous literature. The compelling journeys she creates for her richly complex characters invoke the profound storytelling of her Anishinaabe heritage. With A Gentle Habit, Dimaline delivers yet another beautiful set of influential stories that take modern Indigenous writing on a bold, exciting path forward.” – Waubgeshig Rice, CBC Journalist and author of Midnight Sweatlodge and Legacy.

Echo Desjardins, a 13-year-old Métis girl adjusting to a new home and school, is struggling with loneliness while separated from her mother. Then an ordinary day in Mr. Bee’s history class turns extraordinary, and Echo’s life will never be the same. During Mr. Bee’s lecture, Echo finds herself transported to another time and place—a bison hunt on the Saskatchewan prairie—and back again to the present. In the following weeks, Echo slips back and forth in time. She visits a Métis camp, travels the old fur-trade routes, and experiences the perilous and bygone era of the Pemmican Wars.

Educator & Series InformationPemmican Wars is the first graphic novel in the A Girl Called Echo series.

The Canadian Indigenous Books for School list recommends this for Grades 5-12 for these subject areas: Arts Education, English Language Arts, Social Studies.

Echo Desjardins is adjusting to her new home, finding friends, and learning about Métis history. She just can’t stop slipping back and forth in time. One ordinary afternoon in class, Echo finds herself transported to the banks of the Red River in the summer of 1869. All is not well in the territory as Canadian surveyors have arrived to change the face of territory, and Métis families, who have lived there for generations, are losing access to their land. As the Resistance takes hold, Echo fears for her friends and the future of her people in the Red River Valley.

Series InformationRed River Resistance is volume two in the graphic novel series, A Girl Called Echo, by Katherena Vermette.

Aiden is the roughest player on his Calgary hockey team, as likely to be in the penalty box as on the ice.

When he hits another player after a game, however, he's charged with assault and sentenced to one hundred hours of community service. He's bored and annoyed when he's forced to help Eric, a blind player with the Calgary Seeing Eye Dogs. In time, his new team shows him hockey is more fun on the ice than in the box.

A Goal in Sight is the story of an unlikely friendship that teaches a troubled kid the value of fair play.

Thirteen-year-old Yen and her family have survived a war, famine and persecution. When a flood ruins their village in rural Vietnam, they take the ultimate risk on a chance for a better life.

Reviews"Tran-Davies does not shy away from the terrible realities of post-war Vietnam, including the poverty, corruption, and violence that affected its citizens. The events in this novel are based on history and will act as curriculum tie-in for middle school students. Yen is a well-written character, a strong young teen, struggling to understand the world around her. Ma speaks little, but much is learned by her actions. Much is included in this book including many secondary characters and the many political and social issues of the time.Highly Recommended."— CM Magazine

"A suspenseful action story. . . which gives insight into the events that still haunt Canada's Vietnamese population — and the struggles of refugees past and present".— Quill & Quire